


The Daughters of War

by Britishgal



Series: Kara Danvers and Hades' Daughter [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Percy Jackson AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-02
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-20 19:16:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15541149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Britishgal/pseuds/Britishgal
Summary: Takes place alongside Kara Danvers and Hades' Daughter. A deeper look into AgentReign's rise.Sam's a daughter of Ares, Alex is a daughter of Athena... so, they're both daughter's of war, in a way. Both are tantalizingly single and in their final years at CHB, and with so much in common, surely the attraction between them should be simple, right?





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> So this takes place in Kara's year 4, but Sam's year 5, if that makes sense? Hope y'all like. This one-shot somehow turned into a three-shot but that's life for you I guess.

#  Part 1

###  The Volley-Ball Court

It was not Sam’s _smartest_ idea of all time, but her thus-far horrendous night had not left her with a lot of options. Ares’ cabin was divided into two dorms, the women’s and the men’s. And perhaps unsurprisingly, Samantha Arias occupied the women’s side along with two others. There was the Head Councillor of Ares’ herself – Grace Parker, a finalist, and another girl – Julia Freeman, who was two years younger than Sam. For the most part she loved both her sisters; Grace was powerful and confident, taking her skills post Half-blood into the world of medicine at university. Julia was a lot shier, but also the kindest of all three of them Sam thought. She had a way with words, understood people deeply, and possessed a beautiful singing voice that the other two girls definitely lacked. _Both_ were unfortunately light sleepers however, and Sam being plagued by nightmares tonight, with her constant tossing and turning, had caused Grace to wake-up and mumble something about stuffing her head onto a pike if she **dared** wake her a third time.

This was the point where Sam had decided that enough was enough. If Hypnos wasn’t going to let her sleep tonight, then Sam may as well give up on the effort. That’s how she’d ended up breaking curfew and going on a solo adventure to the volley-ball courts at 2am. It’s pretty cold to be wearing only her pyjamas and slippers, and even with her knitted navy-jumper on, it’s still February. She'd made a mistake and Sam supposes that’s on her, she should have put on her dressing gown instead. That thing was cosier than all her bedding combined.

Sam isn’t sure why she picks the courts. Probably because they’re far away enough that no one will be woken up by her playing (if she can find a ball) and there aren’t likely to be any of J’onn’s spies about to rat on her. Also, if she’s honest, the courts gave the best view of the night sky in all of Half-blood. It would be a romantic place to bring Sam’s significant other _,_ if she had one.She's never really been bothered by her lack of long-term partner before, but Kara and Lena had been dating for three months now, James had Lucy, and Winn was… well a saytr. And _Winn,_ so that was a no go anyway. So, Sam was starting to feel a little bit of pressure on the romantic front. She was 17 and yet to have had a boyfriend or a girlfriend, which was frankly a little disheartening. Unless you counted the boyfriend she had had when she was ten? Not to say Sam hadn’t gotten any action since, or that people hadn’t asked to date her. They totally had, but Sam had been too much of a coward to agree to dating them back, or she just hadn’t liked them like that. Therein lay the issue. All the people she seemed to like, never ever liked her back. Sam sighs. Well, she had one more year in this hell-hole before university. Maybe she’d find someone for her there?

Rounding the fenced court's corner she freezes, hand magnetized to the grate of its door. In the darkness, and straight ahead, she'd spotted the figure of a girl, curled up in a red blanket, and looking dejectedly up to the sky. Sam squints into the night. She can see the girl is her age or older, dressed all in black, with cropped red hair. It sounds like she’s lightly crying. Sam can just about hear the girl's muffled sobs over the hand she has clasped over her mouth. Was that?… her chest tightens in panic and she fwips behind the nearest bush, hoping the girl hadn’t seen her looking. She dares take another peak... It was!!! It was  _Alex Danvers,_ her totally forbidden not-crush! Alone on the Volleyball court at 2am around the same time she was; what where the god-damn chances?

Well fuck.

…She definitely had to go and talk to her.

Not because she had an inappropriate crush on the girl, just because there was no way she could leave her best-friend’s sister in so much pain. If Alex had come out here to vent her emotions, and not gone straight to Kara, then whatever was bothering her must’ve been pretty awful. Sam could just walk back home though, this wasn’t her business, and she _should_ do that right? She barely knew Alex apart from the couple of brief conversations they'd had around Kara.

Sam sighs frustrated. Why did things like this always happen to her? What was it about her that screamed to the universe _“Hey! Send me people in pain that need my help!”_ First, there was Lena’s abrupt confession and now this. Sam was the most ruthless and fearsome daughter of war that the camp had ever known! (Despite her earlier admirations, she could and had taken her two sisters EASY. And don’t even get her started on her two brothers and sibling!) Look, Sam wasn’t ‘emotionally available’. Sam had been bounced from foster home to foster home as a kid, until she’d finally found a carer who was semi-able to express her love in a positive way. But Sam was five at that point, and already pretty traumatized.  Inside, she internally sighs. Whatever. Patricia cared for her, in her own distant way.

Don’t be a _coward_ Arias. Her father would be disappointed in her weakness if she left. Or would he be disappointed in her for showing compassion? But compassion for a fellow soldier was surely okay? Dammit, Ares’s philosophy was difficult to understand. More importantly though, why was she asking herself what _he_ would think to do? Meekly, she makes her way onto the crumbling tarmac. Her slippers surprisingly stealthy and making her light on her feet. Alex doesn’t actually notice as she moves closer to her and Sam has to lightly cough to get her attention.

Alex’s head shoots up. Her doe-brown eyes widen in surprise. They’re all puffy and red around the edges. Yep. It was clear a really big crying-fest had been going on.

“Um- Hi.” Sam waves.

Alex gives a snotty sniff in return.

“I’m allowed out here. I’m a senior councilor. 18 and a soon-to-be trainee teacher here! I’m on security tonight.”

She flashes Sam her camp ID, which is dumb, because Sam’s just a regular camper. Sam winces. She probably can’t see her all that well in the dark.

“Yeah, I know Alex. It’s me, Sam Arias?” This is really awkward to clarify actually. Sam gives a small wave. _“Hi.”_

“Oh, okay.” Alex nods, briefly looking embarrassed about it, before she looks dejectedly back at the floor.

 _She’s really out of it, that’s why she’s acting so dismissive_. Sam’s quick to realize. Alex hasn’t even commented on Sam being here out of curfew, and that was sort of her job. It looked like Alex had just given up on her duties half-way into the night. The knots in her stomach begin to tighten just thinking of what could have affected her so badly. Whatever it was, it had caused _Alex Danvers_ to neglect Camp Half-Blood. Alex would never usually be so irresponsible, she loved the camp with all her heart, and everyone in it. Sam awkwardly scratches the back of her head. As far as introductions went then, she’d mark that about a C-. It could only really have gotten worse if Alex had yelled at her, or if they’d gotten into a fight. Or if this wasn’t actually Alex, but a monster's trap of some kind! If it were, Sam would most certainly have died and bought shame on her cabin. That realization makes her wince a little.

Tentatively, Sam takes a couple of steps towards her, and Alex makes no attempt to budge. So it probably wasn't a monster-trap then? That was good to know. She takes a bolder stride forward so she can lean backward into the fence, just like Alex is doing. Then ever so slowly, she slides on her back down the rattling metal. It makes such a strong protest in response to her movement, that Sam is surprised it doesn’t just give way then and there. This place could definitely do with refurbishment. She focuses out at their view. Speaking of, who’s choice was it to place volley-ball courts out here? Tennis / Basketball ones would have been a vastly superior choice in regards to space. Not to mention it would have given them a wider range of games to play. Summer time vibes and relaxational ideals aside, sometimes you just needed to be practical about things. Maybe she’d bring it up with Alex when she was in a better state.

Beside her Alex buries her head in her arms and places her arms on her knees. It’s post this moment that Sam actually turns to look at her and say something. Before she can however, Alex releases a gut-wrenching sob. Just the one, because she’s _trying-_ and then another one tears its way through her vocal-chords. **_Gods_**. Alex swallows down the ball of pressure in her throat, and screws her eyes shut as tight as she can. Their stinging always somehow made them feel dry to Alex. There’s irony in that. Her eyeballs feel like they’re caught in a sandstorm and yet somehow, Alex can feel more water beginning to well in them. How did her body even have the stamina? _Alex couldn’t do this much longer_. But then she feels a pair of warm arms wrap around her and a head press gently into the side of her own. Reflexively, Alex moves to hug Samantha Arias right back and clings onto her arm like a buoyancy aid. She can only hold it together a couple more seconds before Alex lets her sorrow wrack through her body. It consumes her completely from head to toe.

\----

Sam isn’t exactly sure how long they’re there. But looking at her digital watch, which now reads 2:37am, she assumes that it’s at least been fifteen minutes. Alex’s crying has calmed down, and her grip around Sam’s arm is less tight; it’s not a far stretch to assume the poor girl is probably pretty exhausted. Perhaps it was time that Sam pulled away. She does so, and the older girl can just about shyly manage to look her in the eye.

“Sorry Sam. Here I am crumbling in front of you, and I barely _know_ you.”

Alex lightly laughs. This was ridiculous, breaking down in front of a total stranger. It must be _super_ weird for the younger girl. She imagines trying to explain all this to Kara tomorrow, that is if Sam doesn’t tell her about it first. No, Alex would definitely have to get there early tomorrow and tell her the news. Unless, she could convince the daughter of Ares to keep quiet until she was ready to tell everyone herself. Even the thought of admitting the truth aloud made her throat feel raw.

“Thanks for the um- hug though. I think I needed that a lot.”

Alex finishes.

“It’s okay, honestly. I’m sorry you’re in so much pain for whatever reason.”

Sam respectfully answers. Not pushing her to reveal anything if Alex doesn’t want too. She watches as the older Danvers rifles through her jacket pocket and removes a fresh pack of tissues. Sam smirks loudly, trust a daughter of Athena to prepare so well for their own mental breakdown.

“The blanket, the tissues, the only thing you need now is a tub of ice-cream and your self-care set is complete.”

Sam affectionately bumps her side, and Alex lightly sniffles and looks her way. Sam is receiving strong vibes from her of wounded puppy right now. She's also certain that in a second or two she’s going to spot Alex's lip begin to quiver as well, but it doesn’t. Instead, Alex takes a tissue and dabs around her eyes, delicately removing any rogue mascara. It’s a dignified procedure, prideful almost. Pride too was typical of Athenian kids, but it was a toxic trait Alex usually manoeuvred with grace. This situation seemed to be no exception to that rule, and Sam admired that greatly about her. But despite what Sam had analysed, in truth Alex still seemed to her a bit of a conundrum. She was always 100% prepared to solve her issues by herself, even when she had Kara, and Maggie, and their dad as a support network. Sam _wishes_ she had family like that. Alex’s aloofness is another thing she wants to blame on her Athenian heritage, but that would maybe be assuming too much. Maybe it had something to do with the single-parent thing? Similarly, the unreliable parent thing had certainly sped up Sam’s independence.

Alex rolls her swollen eyes and looks sharply up into the night.

“Yeah, I’m completely wishing for two deserts tomorrow, which mom _better_ deliver on.”

“Hmn?” Sam answers. “Oh, the desert thing.”

She’d zoned out for a moment there. Sam’s smile widens, cracking jokes even in a time of hardship, classic Danver’s move. But Just as Sam is thinking they’ve moved past the awkward bit, Alex blows loudly and snottily into her tissue. Sam makes a face. Gross. Alex then dumps it on the tarmac, all scrunched-up and covered in make-up and bodily fluids of a suspicious nature. Oh, please let her remembers to pick that up later!

“You look cold, do you want to share the blanket?”

Alex extends her other arm out in offering. The blanket’s velvety red material does look enticing.

“It’s technically Kara’s, but it’s so soft and warm that I steal it whenever I can.”

Letting Alex continue, Sam takes the spare blanket half, and shuffles closer to the girl. She so close in fact that the two practically touch. When their legs brush together, Sam feels a slight spark pass through her body, and feels her face start to flush a little, but Sam hopes the night sky covers that up. The blanket’s width barely covers the span of her back and its length hardly covers her torso, but at least one side of her can be kept warm. Her other side’s body-heat is being sustained perhaps more efficiently by Alex’s presence, which Sam tries not to think about too hard.

Alex rambles on oblivious.

“Kara used to wear this blanket as a cape when we were kids. She ran around the house pretending to be a superhero of all things. Dad nicknamed her _Supergirl!_ ” Alex snorts. “ _So_ original.”

“And what part did you play?” Sam asks.

Kara’s thing was pretty hilarious, and Sam was totally going to use that information against her at some point, but truthfully, she was far more interested in the older Danver’s role. What was it? Villain? Side-kick? Neither of those parts seemed to fit the auburn 19-year-old very well. But what other roles could there be in the Danvers-verse? She’s curious.

“I was… a secret agent.” Alex winces.

“I mean of course.” Sam nods back as if it all makes perfect sense.

Alex laughs and sends back a playful wink. She likes that Sam just takes everything in her stride. There’s no judgement, or weird face pulls of displeasure, it makes her former feelings of cringe fade away. That weird childhood ritual of theirs. It really did feel like it made sense at the time. And who knew they genuinely would have super-powers when they grew up? _Kara couldn’t shoot laser-beams from her eyes exactly,_ but she was super strong, and a pretty fast healer. Alex’s powers were as mundane and subtle as her secret-agent role. Not that she was complaining about that, in a way they’d both gotten what they’d aspired to have as kids. But if they were getting what they wished for then _maybe_ Kara’s could do with a bit more pizazz. That was, if her godly parent would hurry up and claim her already.

“What was your outfit?” Sam asks.

“My outfit was just my dad’s sunglasses. If I had those on, I thought I was the _coolest_ person in the world.”

 _Yikes_. Alex thinks. They were such dorks back then.

“Well if you ask me, your pretty cool even without them.” Sam sort of mumbles the compliment.

She doesn’t even really mean to say it at all, but she means it. Alex was one of the sweetest, most genuine people she’d ever met. Not mention that she was beautiful, smart, brave-

“You ever been in love Arias?” Alex asks out the blue.

She feels a slight flush up her cheeks when the older girl uses her surname like that. Bit of a curve ball in conversation topic, and somehow it already feels like a trap question. Sam isn’t too certain where Alex is headed with it, but the dejected tone of her voice leads Sam to think this subject was likely inspired by Maggie.  Had… they broken up?

Sam shakes her head.

“No.”

“I should’ve expected that. You’re Kara’s age, it would be surprising if you’d said yes.”

“Actually, I’m in between the both of you. I’m Lena’s age.”

 _17, old enough for a 18-year-old to date without it being too weird._ Her mind mentally hints toward the girl.

“ _Right_. Sorry, I should have known that about you!”

Alex mumbles. Sam feels her heart crumble just a little and reshuffles herself to feel more comfortable. Maybe she should… put out a comforting hand? Give her an awkward head pat? Rest her hand on Alex’s shoulder? Another hug maybe? Alex still hadn’t clarified with her exactly what was going on, which made it pretty difficult to know how to respond. Maybe an act like that would encourage her to open up? The more she thought about it the more likely the break-up argument seemed to be the most logical and likely.

Sam doesn’t follow through with any of her comforting suggestions. Maybe she would if it were Lena or Kara, but as it goes, she doesn’t really know her friend’s older sister that well (despite how she wishes otherwise). That one prolonged hug was probably enough affection for tonight. Sam didn’t want to overstep her boundaries. What was the correct form of affection for the friend of a friend? More importantly, for the friend of a friend whom you may be inappropriately crushing on (Just a bit). It feels a lot more comfortable to actually admit this now that Alex has broken up with Maggie. Knowing she was taken caused Sam some major internal guilt for even thinking about her like that (Bit raw, they broke up like six hours ago, cool it Arias.) Y’know what? The first thing she should do was probably confirm if the break-up had even happened, because her brain was going wild.

“Are you… and Maggie-”

Alex nods rigorously and cuts her off mid-sentence.

“We broke up.” Alex croaks out.

That confirmed it then.

“Today.” Alex pulls out her phone, and lights up the screen. Sam assumes to check the time. “Eight hours and fifty minutes ago, and I’m still crying about it.”

“That sucks.” Sam answers.

Alex nods again, this time slower. Sam’s shit at this.

“You know that you’re allowed to feel sad about it right? You’re allowed to cry.”

“I know. I just… I don’t want too. I’m over it.”

Alex was over this whole being sad thing already. But she knew, she could feel it deep in her gut, that the pain wouldn’t leave her for months to come. But her body and her eyes were exhausted, so if the gut-wrenching agony of it all (gods the songs didn’t so heart-ache justice), could just pause for five minutes?

“No, you’re not.” Sam quietly answers.

Alex screws her eyes shut to ward back the tears. Something in the softness of Arias’s tone was making her break all over again.

“ _No_.” Alex confirms, barely keeping it together.

It’s hard. It hurts so bad that she honestly wants to scream out loud and never stop. All her past crushes failed and otherwise, Alex had come to realize, had nothing on the pain of a real break-up. Two years of them together, ended at the snap of some invisible party’s fingers. Instead of screaming, she exhales as slowly and evenly as she can manage. There’s no way Sam’s innocent mind needed to be subjected to this. The younger girl would find out soon enough what real heart-ache felt like: as attractive and cool as she was, it wouldn’t be too long before someone brave snapped her up. If Alex wasn’t feeling like sentient garbage, and wasn’t still hopelessly in love, she may have even attempted it herself. She feels Sam’s arms wrap around her again, and lets her head be buried comfortingly into the girl’s bosom for a moment. Alex frowns. It was a weird phrase to use when someone younger that her was being referred to, it doesn’t feel quite right to her, but whatever.

Sam’s just getting comfortable with the girl leaning into her, when Alex suddenly moves away and starts to stand up, dragging the blanket with her. Yep, okay, the navy sweater alone could definitely not be classed as being warm enough tonight.

“I’ve um- got to go. We should probably get some rest for tomorrow. I’ll be teaching some first years, you’ll be learning, all that jazz.”

Alex laughs uneasily. Sam tries to ignore the clicking in her knees and back as she makes her own way up the railings, leaning coolly into the fence.

“No yeah! Of course. Again I’m- I’m really sorry for your loss.”

Alex pauses a beat to long, just long enough for her to show how upset she really is. It’s getting increasingly awkward.

 ** _Sorry for her loss?_** What the hell was that that had just spewed from her mouth? Had Alex lost a pet or a relative or something? **NO**. _Fuck_. Alex nods her thanks. Sam’s still busy trying to figure out how to be less of a dumbass.

“Thanks Sam. And if you don’t mind, I’d like to tell Kara myself about it tomorrow. Not that I think you’d say anything-”

Alex sputters.

“Don’t worry, mouth sealed, I won’t say anything.” Sam smiles.

“Good.” Alex answers appreciatively, and just like that, turns and begins to walk away across the tarmac. “Goodnight Sam.”

“Goodnight!” Sam calls out after her.

Her head falls back uselessly against the metal grating. Useless. She’s fucking useless. That went about as well as The Battle for Chancellorsville did for Stonewall Jackson. **_Sorry for her loss._** What a stupid and depressing thing to say. She could have at least offered her some advice? Before she’s even consciously aware of what she’s doing, Sam’s calling out to the older girl.

“Wait!”

Alex turns around to face her. In the shadow of the moonlight Sam can just about see the question written across her brow.

“Maybe we could…” Sam is _SO_ shit at this.

Quick! She needed something comforting to say.

“I- If you feel like blowing of some steam, or if you have any more restless nights... then I’m more than happy to stay up with you, or to wake up for you. To listen to your problems and stuff, not the _other_ \- thing.”

Fuck. Alex is now rightly looking at her like she’s a weirdo. Sam needed to change her tactics. That entire thing came out wrong and oddly sexual.

“Blow off some steam like, train with you in the arena or something? …is what I’m saying.” Sam finishes.

…that _is_ what she’s saying, right?

Alex shifts awkwardly where she stands.

“I thought you trained with Olsen?”

“I mean I do. I probably will continue too, he seems to like it, but I mean like on top of that.”

Alex narrows her eyes in suspicion. Sam swears at the action she feels her heart leap out of her chest. _SHE KNOWS! SHE KNOWS SAM LIKES HER!!! (Kinda.) OH NO!!!_

“I just though y’know… I’m a daughter of war, _you’re_ a daughter of war, kinda.”

 _Kinda_. Well technically Alex was the daughter of Athena, who held worship domain for _military_ _victory_. Which seemed, like a pretty niche title for Alex’s mom to hold. Kind of a dick move to take that title actually, don’t revel in the act of battle at all, but as soon as someone wins a large fight, Athena rolls up all-for taking the credit. Damn, if you’re going to be at all interested in warfare have a bit more commitment than that.

“We both love weapons…” Sam continues, still thinking about how her dad got screwed over there.

“Don’t you ever get tired of combat?” Alex interrupts her.

Sam blinks.

“Why would I?”

Of course, the child of Ares would say that. Why is Alex so shocked?

Alex sighs.

It doesn’t sound like a positive sigh to Sam. She sounds defeated. Sam feels her heart sink a little. But the next words she hears are unexpected.

“Sure. Why not?”

“Wait _really?_ ”

Sam can’t hide how happy that makes her besides.

Alex notices this and it makes her laugh. She must really be desperate to face someone other than James. Alex gives a curt nod.

“It’s a date.”


	2. The Middle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parents... are like marmite.

#  Part 2

###  Ares' Cabin

Sam struts back into Aries cabin without even a greeting. There’s no point in yelling one out this time, because it’s past six; and six o’clock _sharp_ was the designated time all of her siblings went to dinner together. Normally she’s a part of this menacing posse, but every thursday evening for the last four weeks at 6:30pm, she’d been suspiciously absent and training with - _guess who?_ Only her long-term and highly inappropriate crush of all people! If Sam were in her early tweens / teens she’d be triumphantly screaming skyward! It’s honestly still a real effort not to do it even now, but she manages it somehow; which is a sign she’s maturing, and Sam’s proud of that. She makes a plan. If she runs into another stray unannounced, she’ll give a curt ‘hey’, and do her best to avoid their line of questioning as to why she’s not already at the mess hall. Her siblings were seriously nosy people. Sam’s not joking, they gave Aphrodite’s kids a run for their money in that department. Which like- you wouldn’t expect, but totally would. Intelligence, _leverage_ , more often than not, was key to winning and battle after-all.

Sam stops by her bunk and dumps her hefty black rucksack onto the mattress below. Dreamily sighing, she leans heavily against the bare-wood headboard, and lets her arms hang limp. At this point she had learned to ignore the grottiness of all the band stickers and initials (amongst other, ruder things), plastered over all the beds, desks, walls, etc.  You had too, if you wanted to at least _try_ to enjoy the inside-warzone that was Ares’ Cabin. She shuts her eyes in bliss and lets thoughts of the older girl fill her mind. It was safe to say, her and Alex’s training was going pretty well for the both of them. The more and more they trained, the more and more they relaxed around eachother, and the closer they became. Then by extension, the closer they were, they more and more happy Sam felt.

There was a catch to this, however.

Unfortunately, with all this closeness, her crush was only getting worse, and the more pressured Sam was feeling to act on those emotions. Or not. _Should_ _she?_ Her heart skips a little in panic. It would be weird if she told her wouldn’t it? Gods, what would Kara think? She bites her lip in mild panic. NO-ONE, knew about her thing for Alex. Not even Lena. Surely, before she made a move on the older girl, she should consult with her best-friend about it? But then what if her and Alex did get together? What if they then broke-up? What would the repercussions be for their tiny little friendship group? _WORSE_ , what if Alex turned her down? Sam’s heart shattering into a million little fragmented pieces? Not even a whole week of sleepovers at Lena’s could cure that. The tips of her fingers curl involuntarily into her mattress.

“Someone’s vexed.”

The man’s deep voice nearly makes Sam leap out of her jacket. Instantly she recognises it, and turns to face him angry and alarmed.

“ ** _Styx!_ ** What are _you_ doing here?”

“Nice to see you too honey-pot.”

He beams back at her. If Aphrodite possessed the original zillion-watt, swoon-inducing smile, then Ares owned the original shit-eating grin. He playfully salutes his 35th daughter with delight.

“Don’t use pet names on me.” Sam shakes her head. “It doesn’t do anything for you.”

“I like to think it adds a certain _je-ne-sais-quoi_ to my personality.”

People never seemed to think Ares could be all cute and fluffy, but the good thing about the god of war is that he liked to deliver on the unexpected. Besides, how else did they expect war to appear as such a tantalizing option to humans so often? It wasn’t by him being monotonous and _boring_. Like Persephone. Appearing at the same time every year to deliver spring? Woman please.

“Don’t speak French either. You’re an ancient Greek god, stick to what you know.”

“So, you’d rather I spoke to you in ancient Greek, than in English?” Ares counters.

Sam huffs, and throws her purple hoodie in the direction of her open wardrobe. She wouldn’t need it tonight. Training sessions always made her sweat like a man under KGB interrogation. She runs a stiff hand through her hair and tries to avoid looking at her father. He really was the last thing she needed to be thinking about right now.

_“I think you like being mad at me.”_

Ares continues, seamlessly switching dialects.

She had ten minutes to get ready, could he just leave already? **_UGH!_** certainly, no-one could rile her up as fast as her-own father. That knowledge only made her feel even more bitter. Playful Ares, was the worst Ares. You were never sure when he was going to switch back to being all angsty and broody, her father was _notorious_ for his flickering temperament. Luckily around her he kept it mostly upbeat, but around Grace he was far harsher. This unfair treatment was one of the many reasons Sam was unhappy with him right now.

She’s mad at him he can tell. Don’t get Ares’ wrong, his kids tended to be angry all the time anyhow. They always managed to find _something_ to be pissed over, and he could get that when tempers flared around him, _at him_ , they were usually justified. But Sam was different. Her mother had been especially gentle and warm. Sam’s mother Ares found, gave him a sense of calm, which was different for him, new. Normally, he loved a bit of _fire_ in a woman but hey, you can’t always help who you love. Luckily, Sam had been gifted with that calming-trait despite never having met the woman. He missed her. To her and to Samantha, Iraq had not been kind. Sometimes the god’s favourite apocalyptic horse reared it hind quarters, and three times now in doing so, it had accidentally kicked him. Being immortal came with its own brand of prolonged suffering. Anyway, Ares was fond of his own lack of stability, but seeing it in his kid’s sometimes drove him up the wall. He just wanted them to _excel_ , and seeing the things in them that held them back that were _his_ was painful and the worst, quite frankly. Wait a minute, _ew_. That was a horribly mortal thought to be having. Perhaps he’d been wondering Earth for a bit too long? …He did enjoy the other mortal’s idiocy though. But anyway, back to the subject of his daughter’s trials and pains.

“So, it’s a DATE huh?”

He continues casually, now back in English. He talks to her like he drops in every day, but Sam’s lucky if he comes in once every two months or so. Sam bites her tongue to stop herself lashing out, but then she knits her brow. She supposes she’s one of the luckier demi-kids. Other god’s like Hermes… they never visited their children. The lesser gods didn’t even have valid excuses like she supposes Zeus or Hades do. If the big three were to break their accord (which Hades had) and visit their kids, then some bad creatures were going to take notice, and that put the entire camp in all the more danger too. Lena would likely have been dead before she reached the age of 10 if Hades hadn’t been so subtle. Internally she huffs. The best thing to do with Ares was just to be honest. He knew when you were lying, don’t ask Sam _how_ but he always did. Anyway, the sooner she played his little game, the sooner he would leave, and the sooner she could get to Alex and their _not-date_.

“It’s not a date. Well, not a date like _that_ anyway, that’s not what she meant.”

“Combat training sounds like the _perfect_ date to me.”

Well it would to him wouldn’t it? Her dad was a total weirdo. Besides, why was her dad watching over her so closely? Why did he pick now to invest in active interest, and how had Alex managed to get caught up in this mess? Sam suddenly feels 150% more defensive than she did five seconds ago.

 “I- she’d- Alex doesn’t like me like that.”

 “Well, I don’t know enough about the daughter of Athena to say I know how she feels for certain. But I think I know how _you_ feel.”

Sam can feel her face burning with embarrassment. Kill her. Kill her immediately. Shoot an arrow straight through her eye and into her brain and murder her on the spot. Let her go out like old King Harold in 1066 Britain, and have the image woven into some grandiose tapestry.

“As you know, I have this… on again off again relationship with Aphrodite.”

Oh my god he was going to monologue, here he went. Best to cut him off at this point before he rambled pointlessly for the next quarter of an hour.

“Yep. Thanks dad, the whole of humanity is aware.”

Humanity had _literally_ carved it in stone in places.

“So, I know a thing or two about the _romance_.” Ares continues, predictably electing to ignore her.

“I would love to stay and chat with you more dad, but I have to meet her in the arena in like five minutes, and if I’m late…”

“Of course! If you’re late that sets a terrible precedent for your future relationship, which is why I sped us up a little bit.”

“You did what now?” Sam blinks in astonishment.

“Ever notice, how when you’re in battle, things seem a little _faster_?”

Faster, slower, time in combat _did_ feel a far-cry from time experienced at peace. It felt almost like you were in another universe, on another planet even when you were mid-fight. Battle-time took you somewhere that defied the working physics of Earth. Everything you did, even the air you breathed, felt foreign at war. Sam always thought it was to do with the heightened sense of emotions the field contained. Perhaps questioning physics was the wrong thing to do. Fear, courage, panic, anger, emotions, hormones, were biological after-all. So yeah, admittedly Sam had noticed time changed its pacing, and she’d thought about it a lot. What of it?

“And notice how on the field, _you_ my daughter, are faster, stronger, more athletically built than all the others?”

She feels her cheeks burning. Her tall and muscular build was more obvious than most other girls, and it had always made her feel self-conscious. The only other people as muscly as her were her siblings and _Kara_. (She’d thought about that too, but had concluded there was no way the perky blonde was her sibling. Besides, Ares would have claimed her by now if she was, he was proud of his kids, and he truly wanted them all.)

“I just put it down to my slightly faster reflexes.” Sam mumbles.

It wasn’t an uncommon gift of Ares to receive as his child. These reflexes became even the more amplified in combat, which is probably why time in battle seemed especially strange to her.

“ _Slightly_ faster reflexes, yes- but there’s more to it than that. Faster reflexes can stem to faster over-all movement, and where your powers are _slightly_ better that mortals, _my_ reflexes are infinitely more so. My point is, with like-minded gods, and a few of my kids-” He grins. “The more promising ones anyway, this ‘faster movement’, is a gift I can share.”

“So, what are you saying?” Sam says slowly. She isn’t entirely sure where he’s going with this.

“Look at that bug on the shelf.”

She glances where he points, and spots a pesky house-fly lazily resting on their window-pane. Nothing’s particularly unusual about it at first. That is, until the fly begins to take-off. **_Woah_**. It’s only when what Sam’s sure has been a couple of seconds later (except it can’t be seconds later because the fly’s moved only a couple of inches off the shelf), that she realizes specifically what’s happening. _Holy shit_ , _how fast were they moving?_ She tries to avoid Ares noticing how cool she thinks it all is.  It is pretty awesome that the god can still surprise her though. Despite their rare interaction rate, Sam was pretty sure she had his entire personality sussed out by meet 7.

“We’re moving so fast, that time seems slower. Time hasn’t slowed though, time doesn’t work in that manner.”

“But how does time work?”

Sam challenges, raising a brow. She doubts he could explain, for all his sudden philosophical and scientific fascination.

“We’ll talk about that next time.” Ares answers with some mild irritation. “Point is, you have at least another twenty minutes you can spend with your dear old dad before you leave.”

Sam knew there was a catch to all this coolness. _Tartarus_. Another 20 minutes with Ares’ seemed like mild torture.

“And what are we going to do in this glorious extra time?”

“You’re going to let me help you win Alex Danvers’s heart.”

Sam’s jaw pops from its socket and drops to the floor. She can tell that he’s serious. He’s _actually_ serious. Sam’s speechless. Lessons in the art of love… from the god of war?

“And in return?” Ares gestures to the wider room. Sam notices as well that the clock on the wall is even running slower than it should. The barely audible ticking now a completely new pace to her. “I’m going to teach you how to do this. Of course, we’ll never be as good as Hermes’ but…”

\----

One the ground, Alex smiles as she holds Sam’s neck hostage under her forearm, her legs pinning Arias to the floor as she straddles her waist. **Triumph!** _Oh_ , she had to have floored the girl in record time! Wait until she boasted to James about it, or even Grace Parker. _“You beat Sam in under thirty seconds?”_ Alex can imagine his slack-jawed expression already, he’d be absolutely flabbergasted. _What like it was hard?_   She’d retort. (Alex had _always_ wanted to use that line on someone.)

“Do you yield?” Alex laughs.

You could probably tell already but she was having some serious fun today. Mostly because she was winning sure, but winning against Samantha Arias in combat was never easy, even if it was just in hand-to-hand. Plus, today was one of the first days in a long-time, where Alex hadn’t woken up with a stabbing pain in her chest over losing Maggie. Training with Sam had gone a long way into healing that part of her, and the younger girl could never know how grateful she was.

“I uh- yeah.” Sam answers back, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Alex chalks it down to her being off her game. She had nothing to be self-conscious about, and Alex hopes she recognises that, they still had another fifty minutes to even the score. Without another word, she rolls off the younger girl and looks over to find Sam morosely staring at the blue sky; positioned like the occupant of an open casket.

“Okay what’s up?” Alex raises a concerned brow. There was at least usually an attempt at freeing herself, or some other teasing power struggle between them when either found themselves pinned. Not that Alex would ever admit it aloud to the other girl or to _anyone_ for that matter, but it was usually pretty hot, and she was looking forward to it. But that was a seriously gay problem of hers that she just had to deal with alone.

Sam sighs dramatically. How to even begin to tell Alex what was going on? That easy pin had been extremely embarrassing for one. And if she was going to continue this session, or yet alone consider doing more training with Alex she needed to be honest with her. Maybe even tell her how she was romantically feeling, as her _father_ of all people had suggested. Hell, if Sam didn’t tell her that meant Ares was going to keep bugging her by the sounds of it, and that she did _not_ want at all. His love lesson had been wild from start to finish, and the entire time, she was just sat there, dazed and confused about his damnable investment. What did he _want_ from her? She couldn’t figure it out. The gods always wanted something, but what could it be? Sam betted he was lying and it wasn’t even him who had figured out she liked Alex. It was far more likely that Aphrodite had probably pointed it out to him at some point. The goddess of love was kind. Sam liked her a lot. Maybe it was her whom had requested Ares play matchmaker? Maybe she saw something between the two of them? What if- what if they really did stand some sort of chance together?

She shifts uncomfortably where she lies. That sounded to good to be true.

“I had a conversation with my dad before we got here.” Sam starts. Alex scrambles to attention.

“Wait, what?” She gasps. “What did he say? Why did he visit? Are you alright?”

Sam has to stop her panicked stomach from lurching as Alex gently touches her shoulder.

“Yeah. He just wanted to offer me some advice on my love life of all things.”

Why was she being so honest? She knew she had to be honest, but this was like… too far honest. They were reaching into territory that was decidedly dangerous. Fuck maybe she did need her dad. If she was going to tell Alex how she felt right now, then it wasn’t going to be smooth or romantic or anything like that at all. And like Ares had told her, the more confident she was at announcing it, the more likely Alex was to be won over …in theory. Sam didn’t know enough about love to say he was wrong there, but it certainly sounded right to her, and agreed with all she’d seen on TV.

“Oh.” Alex blinks back her surprise. “Does he have a problem with the whole… bi thing?”

In truth Alex had always been curious about where each of the gods stood with that. Ancient Greece was pretty gay.

“Ares? No. Only prejudice dad holds is against cowards.”

Like Sam was being now in not telling Alex how she felt. But there was no way in Tartarus she was telling her right now. She wasn’t ready too. Ares’ talk had simultaneously stoked and _terrified_ her about it. Sam bites her lip and braces herself. Ares was royally going to kick her ass when she told him that she hadn’t made a move at all. Perhaps he was currently sitting atop Olympus and loudly cursing her name. It wouldn’t come as a surprise.

“Well it’s a good thing you’re not one of those then.”

“Yeah.” Sam answers glumly.

Alex heart aches at her friend’s down mood.  If Sam wasn’t ready to completely open-up yet, fine. But Alex could do her best to cheer her up in the mean-time! The classic Danvers’s sisters move!

“I mean it Sam. You’re one of the bravest, coolest people I know.” Alex says sincerely.

Sam blushes.

“Thanks, Alex.”

“And I’m glad we’ve had the opportunity to become friends.”

Alex’s memory lightly drifts back to the volley-ball court. How eerily pretty Sam’s silhouette looked in the moon-light the first night they’d properly spoken. She cuts herself off mid-thought, removing the needle from the record player. Oh no. They were _not_ going down that route. She needed a change of pace.

Alex playfully slaps her new friend on the thigh.

“C’mon! We’ve only got another forty-five minutes until dinner. Your devil’s food cake awaits, greedy-guts!”

Sam laughs.

“Who are you calling greedy-guts, when you’re the one who eats it all!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Hello! I forgot to actually leave a message on the first chapter, but thank-you for reading, and the kind messages! I treasure them all. If you're not a messagey-person, but still enjoyed my writing on the other-hand, feel free to leave a kudos or bookmark, OR come chat to me on tumblr @hopepunking :)
> 
> Anyway I hope you liked Ares, putting in a god-interaction is always something I've wanted to write about. I promise more direct AgentReign next chapter, I just wanted to develop Sam's character a bit more here!


	3. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skip forward a year, and here we are. Had to go back and fix the ages. Maths confuses me dearly, apologies.

#  Part 3

###  Campfire

Her eyes watch the dancing flames with delight. Though Sam is perched precariously on their log bench (which is a considerable distance away from the campfire, mind), it’s as if she can feel its heat, and she revels in its comforting warmth. Yet another trait inherited from her father figure. She was finding too many of those recently to feel comfortable with. Sam wraps the now overly familiar red blanket tighter around her shoulders. The item felt enormously over-sized when it only housed one occupant. She missed her partner. The one who had invited her to the bonfire tonight, and whom she had fought with back to back these painful past weeks at Camp Jupiter. Alex was great company when Kara and Lena were elsewhere and balls deep in their relationship bullshit. …It wasn’t bullshit. Sam loved that her best friends were in love, _seriously_ , this was probably the alcohol making her act all over-dramatic and stuff. From watching them both and playing the wallflower, she’d figured out that love was goofy, and stupid, and painful, but oh-so-worth it still. She hoped her observations were true, or she was seriously wasting her god’s damned time here.

Sam was already feeling a tad tipsy off Alex’s alcoholic booty, but the night was going great. The entire camp had said their goodbyes to Leslie Willis half an hour earlier and the ceremony was saddening, but just the right level of humbly profound. She’d made Half-Blood proud, made Olympus feel that way too surely, for Leslie died as valiantly as any Greek hero of myth, if not more so. After that came something a bit more pleasant, the celebration of Kara, because… **damn**. Sam and Alex had both seen that bolt of lightning she had shot at Lex and agreed it was one of the _coolest_ things they had ever witnessed. She was sort of grateful the younger Danvers had refused to fight her when they were younger. They’d clarified things between them since, and had fought each-other recently true enough, but Kara fighting her then in a state of jealousy over Lena? Sam preferred her body non-charred and uncrisp thanks. Zeus knows what would’ve happened if that had gone down.

Alex trundles back her way with her small tin flask and sure enough it’s full of vodka again. Apparently, a more conspicuous bottle of the stuff is hidden somewhere inside the staff lounge, which Sam thinks is risky business with J’onn so close. But Alex counter-argues with her that keeping the bottle outside and in a bush for the nymphs to find is a far dicier play. Not only did Sam have to concede and agree with that, but the image of drunk nymphs also makes her laugh pretty hard.

On seeing Alex, Sam enchants her glass with coke and waits for her best friend to settle down beside her (Though the title really belongs to Lena because it’s not what she wants Alex to be at all.) Alex steps over the back of the log, and sits down by her side, grabbing the blanket off Sam’s huddled figure and swathing it over the back of her shoulders. Sam tries and fails to make this process more efficient.

“I can’t believe you figured out how to smuggle alcohol into camp last year and you only just told me.”

“Yeah but if I told you, then you’d tell Lena, and then Lena would tell Kara, and then the whole camp would know.”

Sam scoffs.

“You have _no_ faith in your sister at all.”

“Oh, I have _tons_ of faith in Kara. But with her recent title acquisition? That girl’s popularity is gonna soar, and people will be watching her.”

Sam purses her lips. _Secret Agent_. Watch, learn, keep out of the lime-light. Simultaneously, have contacts, know everything about everyone, blend in. Be inconspicuous. Perhaps younger Alex’s kid job was the perfect future one for her as well. She already seemed to be playing the role perfectly.

“Devious.” Sam teases. Alex nods in mock pride.

“Thank you.”

Sam can’t help but stare at her for a moment. Alex… made her heart do soft things in her chest. There was a lot to process about her. Her stunning ginger hair, those wide brown eyes. Sam always thought blue eyes were her favourite until she’d seen Alex’s, and now she knew that ice-blue had _nothing_ on warm-brown. There were shades of colour in Alex’s eyes that Sam swears she can’t see anywhere else; looking into them takes her breath away. If you couldn’t already tell, her stupid crush had only gotten worse this year. At this point Sam was unsure how that was even possible, but she couldn’t seem to shake it over summer, and fighting together at Jupiter only super-charged her interest. She only has until the end of Easter term, before summer comes around. After that, she’s off to university, and would likely if never see Alex for the longest time. That realization sends pangs of something through her chest. Right now, the idea of being apart from the older woman felt near impossible.

“Alex…” Sam frowns.

“Yeah?”

Perhaps now was the time to tell her? Sam felt more comfortable with herself this year, and hey, if this went wrong, then at least she wouldn’t be around camp long enough to feel the backlash. Not to mention, she could run straight into Lena’s arms if this all went haywire. She had no doubt the raven-haired girl would tear herself away from Kara immediately if she thought Sam was in dire enough distress. Some damn good friendship loyalty right there. Her dad had given up prepping her on love last year, after Sam had finally told him she’d had enough, and that she’d tell Alex herself when she was ready. Ares’ reaction at first had be outrage. His next visit to her however, was two days later, where he’d apologized, and told her how proud he was. It was… _wild_. But now Sam felt prouder of her heritage, more so than she ever had.

“I…” Sam begins.

This sudden burst of courage was likely to do with her mild intoxication, and probably also to do with how romantic the beach looked in the firelight. She tries not to over-analyse the ‘drunk’ part. Either way, focusing on the flames ignites something deep within her chest. _Fuck it!_ Samantha Arias was a child of Ares, god of war, and lover to the love goddess! And she was no god’s damned coward! She was ready, _finally_ , to do this with some degree of spine! She’d delayed long enough, disappointed _herself_ long enough. Sam was brave, smart, fucking _hot_ , and Alex would be lucky to have her. And if she said no? Then that was her loss, (but it was perfectly understandable, and respected decision).

Alex is looking at her with some concern, probably waiting for her to finish speaking. Sam realizes that actually neither have spoken for a while. It’s then, boldly, that she sweeps up Alex’s hand, and looks her sternly in the eye. Alex looks mildly panicked at the suddenness of it all. It’s pretty clear to Sam that she has zero clue about her feelings. For all her smarts Danver’s was absolutely clueless when it came to matters of the heart.

“Alex, I need to tell you something.” Sam says calmly, voice not wavering at all thank god.

“Okay?” Alex answers concerned, putting a comforting hand over Sam’s.

She has to smile at that. Alex was so _perfect_. Fuck. She exhales to calm herself. Sam had only told one other person (a boy) that she had liked him when she was 13, and that had gone terribly. She tries to shove the distressing memory from her mind. She was older now, and bolder. Count down in her brain: 3… 2… fuck it, she was being stupid. Sam smiles again, this time to herself.

“Okay but don’t freak out on me.” Sam laughs. “It’s not a big deal.”

That’s usually what someone said before they said something that was in fact a big deal. But Alex keeps that observation to herself, and lets Sam continue. Sam breaks eye contact with her and tipsily huffs, as if she’s just come to realize something pretty big. She flips a stray bit of hair over her shoulder, which makes Alex smirk. She notices that Sam’s gaze is focused on the bonfire and its rising embers, and wonders if Sam knows she’s still holding onto Alex’s hand. An awkward procedure now the younger girl’s decided to lean so broodily forward.

“I really like you.”

Sam’s words snap her out of her thought-trail. Alex internally stutters for a second. She must have misheard, or misunderstood the words Sam had just spoken, because for a moment Alex thought she meant _romantically_. But like, that couldn’t be possible, so, she should just forget about it. Alex tries to take the comment lightly and shrugs it off.

“Thanks, Sam. I like you too.”

“No.” Sam turns to her. Her hazel eyes a stoney level of determined and strong that Alex had only seen on the battlefield. She feels the grip around her hands tighten a little more. “Alex, I really like you. Like _romantically_.”

The last word comes out forced somewhat. It’s a difficult thing to admit aloud, but Sam wasn’t done yet.

“-And I would like to take you on a date before I leave.”

Don’t be afraid.

“-If you’ll allow me.”

She watches Alex’s mouth open and shut several times in surprise.

Here it goes. Sam Arias, prepare to get your heart shattered into a billion pieces. Oh gods, she should have just done this before she got in on the emotional front too deep. Lesson learned for the next-time. (If there ever was going to be a next time.) Alex’s hand slips out of hers, and Sam feels the panic starting to rise in her chest. Oh no, no, she’d misinterpreted. She’d fucked up! It was time to apologise for being so bold, Sam was an idiot! She turns to face the older girl in mild despair, but finds she can’t speak. She realizes she wants to hear Alex’s uninfluenced and honest answer.

Alex runs a surprised hand through her auburn hair. Wow. That was… unexpected. That totally wasn’t how she envisioned this evening to go. Alex just assumed this mutual attraction to eachother was something they were never going to address. Alex was nineteen, she’d been aware of Sam’s feelings (and her own), for a while now. …She just wasn’t sure what to do with them. Sam was younger than her for one, and dating-age had never been an issue or thing she’d had to think about before. But considering it, a one-year difference wasn’t _too_ bad, after all, Alex had spent a gap year here which meant that they’d enter and leave university around the same time as well, so… not too shabby for a potential start to a relationship.

She should probably say something.

“ _Oh_.”

Okay maybe something a bit more profound than that. Sam looked jumpier than an exposed rabbit in hunting season, she was ready to bolt at any second. But Alex just needed a little longer to process all this. ( _What was happening?!)_ Quickly, she reaches for Sam’s hand and grabs it again, completely unwilling to let her run. If she did, not only would both their nights be completely ruined, but probably so would Kara’s and Lena’s. Alex knew that’s whom the both of them would head to immediately, and the two deserved to spend the first day back at camp in peace.

“Please don’t go, I just need to figure out what to say…”

The alcohol in her system certainly wasn’t making it any easier, her brain was pretty foggy.

“Okay, um-” Sam nods. “I’ll just sit here.” - _and try to not spontaneously combust out of tension_. Sam keeps the rest of her thought to herself.

What Sam doesn’t notice, is that her voice wavers on her final words, and Alex’s heart goes out to her, it really does. It’s a similar sort of confession that she made to Maggie. Honest, innocent, completely new, even to herself. She shallowly breathes, she liked Sam, perhaps she was more held back on her feelings, okay screw that, she definitely was. But the whole Maggie thing had caused her to shut a part of herself away for the last year. But Sam’s affections had broken through a tiny crack in her façade, and now a tiny ray of sunlight was dying to burst out her heart and send the whole wall crumbling. Was Alex ready to begin a new relationship? She bites her lip anxiously.

“Sam-”

_“You don’t have to say yes!”_ The younger girl bursts out at roughly the same time.

Alex chuckles. Well that had completely ruined her rhythm.

“I _know_ that, idiot!”

She nudges the brunette in the side, and watches the small flush creep up Sam’s face. It’s barely seeable in the darkness, but Alex knows it’s happening. Sam was so kind, and so sweet, and just as smart and wily as Alex in combat and out, but- _but what?_ Alex is right, what was she waiting for? Who was she waiting for if not someone exactly like her?

Okay, if Alex is going to make her wait like this, the least Sam can do is make herself feel a tad more relaxed. She glances down at the goblet in her hand, and it suddenly feels a lot more enticing. Bringing the receptacle up to her lips, Sam knocks it back, barely pausing for a breath until the entire contents of the cup is missing.

“Oh, my gods! What are you doing!?” Alex gasps.

She’d at least poured a double into that, and Sam had had two singles already! Not to mention the girl rarely drank, which meant she was going to be a total light-weight.

“You are going to be _gone_ , soon!” Alex can’t help but laugh.

Sam puts the goblet back down on the log, very satisfied with herself, and minorly a little disappointed. Her nerves sort of did get there better of her after-all it seemed.

“Sorry, I really needed something to take the edge off there.”

“You’re a future alcoholic!” Alex teases. She’s only semi-serious. They should talk about that behaviour later. But this certainly complicated things, Alex had no intentions of revealing her emotions to a heavily drunk Sam later in the night. If the daughter of Ares had intended on making her decide all the quicker, she could have just said. Now Alex had mere minutes to talk it out.

“Well, I best get on and give you my answer then.”

Sam nods her head stoically. The increased drunkenness already beginning to show. Alex has a feeling she may regret this, but whatever. Without another word, she leans forward, and kisses Sam on the lips.

Sam’s whole-body tenses at the sudden shock of electricity through her body. At the feel of her crush’s lips against hers, _finally_. But Alex breaks away too soon, and all Sam wants is for them to lip-lock again ASAP. She swallows down mountains of unnecessary air, positively _elated,_ and high on… so many different feelings right now. She sputters out her next words.

“So, was that a yes?”

Alex hums.

“Hmn, yeah I think it was.” She smiles, leaning into Sam’s personal space once again. Sam doesn’t hesitate. This time, she’s the one to initiate. Alex has to swot her side as she can’t help but giggle into it in delight.

\----

They make out for what could have been minutes or hours, Sam doesn’t really know, or remember. She’s just aware of the feeling of Alex hands expertly roaming her torso, and her starting to do the same, when Alex pulls away again.

“Let’s go somewhere a bit more secluded maybe?”

Sam had to admit, their PDA was getting a bit more publicity than she would have liked.

“ _Sure_.” She answers huskily, voice low from all their dubious activity. She notices with some amusement to herself that she’s drunk on two accounts now, both in the literal sense, and in the sense of lust, which she’s not complaining about right now because Sam feels _legendary!_ Tonight, could not have gone any better for her, it was just one of those epic days. It feels really good, and she totally deserved one.

-And that’s how they end up trailing up to the big-house. Sam shivers as her boots make contact with the dew-covered hill-grass. It’s much colder out here without the blanket, and Sam wishes she’d worn something just a little bit warmer tonight. Alex is quick to notice. Ever the gentleman, she whips off her leather jacket, and shoves it in the direction of her date.

“Here.”

Sam looks at her shyly, before breaking out into the biggest smile. Alex is feeling more into her by the second.

“For me to wear?”

Alex nods.

“You look cold.”

Sam takes in both hands, and gripping it by the shoulders gives it a once over. The embroidered shoulders, the subtle streak of red down the sides of the sleeves.

“Cool.” Sam murmurs. She puts its on without hesitation.

Alex smirks, it fits her almost perfectly, which is amazing actually considering the two’s physical differences. Guess that meant it looked a little big on herself, but what could you do?

“You look great.” Alex comments.

Sam nudges her playfully.

“I always look great.”

“Don’t I know it.” Sam bursts out laughing. Then pauses. Eyes squinting onto the deck of the big-house. They’re still a considerable distance away, but is that who she _thinks_ it is? No way. Was that… was that Lena Luthor having some near sexy-times with Kara Danvers? _SHOCKING!_ She too amused with herself, and with the fact that her and her best-friend were dating _both_ the Danvers sisters now (They held the monopoly!), to notice the rocks at her feet. She trips and stumbles briefly before she recovers herself.

“Whoops! Sorry.” Sam apologizes. She’s not sure whether it’s to Kara and Lena or Alex. Yep, the downed drink was definitely beginning to hit her hard.

“Sam?” Lena asks incredulous. Sam Arias can just about hear her voice in the dark. Good! They could catch up with eachother immediately.

“Lena, I did it, I told her how I felt! WOOOOO!” Sam yells out triumphantly. Throwing her hands into the sky in delight. She’d told Lena she liked Alex after her little love training with Ares failed to work-out. At that point she was use to having a confidant about her crush, and besides, she wanted to prove she trusted the billionaire prodigy as much as she did her.

She can hear Kara’s muffled laughter in response. She hadn’t directly told the girl, and Lena had promised her she’d kept it a secret, so, did she know?

“ _Hi Alex_.”

Kara calls out. Sam doubted she could see the older girl in the darkness she was trailing so far behind, so, yeah, she knew. Sam steps forward until she’s standing beside Sam once more.

“Uh- hi Kara, I uh-” Alex mumbles awkwardly.

“Was making out like a fiend on the beach earlier with your long-term crush?”

Kara says with folded arms. The way she says it so accusingly, so expectedly, makes Sam beam.

“She’s so good at it.” Sam mumbles, as she huddles into Alex’s side. Kara notices the younger girl is also wearing her sister’s biker jacket, and knowingly raises her eye-brows.

“Aw, well you’re not too bad at it either.” Alex playfully squishes the shoulders of her date, suddenly feeling awkward around the presence of the power couple. They were going to have questions about the source of the alcohol she was sure. Busted. Certainly, both were also going to grill her over her intentions with their best-friend also. Sam had to make sure she was ready for them.

“I should… probably get her back to her cabin.”

On top of dealing with Lena and Kara’s queries later, Alex really didn’t fancy getting beaten up by all the children of Ares for being so irresponsible with their sister.

“Make sure she gets a glass of water.” Lena contributes.

“Yeah and maybe some paracetamol too!” Kara adds.

“Yeah, yeah.” Alex mumbles, as she strides away with the girl under her arm, trying not to be _slightly_ miffed. She’d definitely been to more parties than both of those girls combined! Actually, she was fairly certain she was the person who taught Kara the hang-over remedies.

Next to her Sam sighs as she rests her head on Alex’s shoulder. Alex gently holds her closer, and the two stay like that until they’re back at Ares. Back at the cabin there’s no-one around. The party is still in full swing, and won’t end until midnight. Special occasions called for a later curfew after-all. Alex suspects J’onn will even be willing to let the fire be kept burning until 12:30, spirits were so high.

Sam guides them in the direction of her bed, and sighs as she flops onto it, burying her head into her pillow.

“I don’t want to take your jacket off.” She mumbles truthfully. It smelt of _Alex_ , and Alex smelt great.

“You can keep my jacket until tomorrow, or whenever you feel like giving it back.”

“ _My_ jacket.” Sam mumbles.

“You _wish_.”

Rats. Once they were dating for long enough though, Sam totally would make it hers. She yawns all of a sudden, actually feeling really tired. Bed abruptly seemed like the perfect place to be. She was glad Alex had bought her here. Sam needed to get into her pyjamas though.

“Yeah, maybe I should leave before you do that.”

Had Sam said that aloud?

“But I don’t want you to go!” Sam says.

“I’m only across the courtyard, and besides, I’ll see you tomorrow at breakfast.” She gives Sam a wink. It’s so sexy Sam nearly swoons. Yeah, she’s pretty gay, mostly for Alex Danvers.

“If you can survive the next nine-hours or so without me.” Alex finishes.

“I think I’m gonna need _one_ more kiss if you want me to go for that long.”

Alex is more than happy to oblige. She ends the conversation by tenderly stroking the side of Sam’s cheek.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Sam softly answers.

When the lights of the room shut off, and Alex is long gone, Sam is still wrapped up cosily in that leather-jacket, and sweetly beaming from ear to ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, hope you all enjoyed it, and thanks for making it until the end! xox


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